Embedded Credit David W. Dillard David Ruhman Arcadia Valley CTC

The Arcadia Valley Career Technology Center is proposing to offer “embedded” academic credit for those students who complete: a six-hour vocational program and a six-hour vocational program and additional academic specific criteria. additional academic specific criteria. complete a six-hour vocational program would receive the credit. complete a six-hour vocational program would receive the credit.

One hour of elective mathematics credit, Technical Mathematics, if students can pass a competency test sometime within their two years in the vocational school. The mathematics credit could meet the required math credits if the students failed in their earlier classes – depending on the sending school.

One hour of elective English credit for Technical Writing if they meet the minimum requirements for all established components of a portfolio. Each exhibit will be assessed by a scoring guide/rubric with minimum levels established One hour of elective English credit for Technical Writing if they meet the minimum requirements for all established components of a portfolio. Each exhibit will be assessed by a scoring guide/rubric with minimum levels established.

In Missouri a School Board can award credit based on a curriculum We can: DESE is not involved if it does not go through Core Data We did receive some funding from Missouri DESE (Perkins, local PD and state HSTW funds were also used) We needed it for the following reasons:

 Perkins III: This program has accountability requirements that are based on student achievement in mathematics and language arts along with placement requirements. The Congressional debate over future Perkins funding is centering on the idea that CTE classes do not assist in raising overall academic achievement scores.  Part of our Perkins Accountability Plan

The majority of the sending school students attending the AVCTC lose two credits due to travel. This program would allow them to earn as many credits as other students in their schools. We have had several students graduate because they could earn the extra credit.

 The granting of embedded credit will help all districts meet the MSIP requirement for dropouts by allowing some students to earn additional credits and remain on track to graduate with their class. This may be even more important as accountability moves from dropouts to graduation rates.

CTE graduates must have the skills needed by industry. Advisory Committees have continuously pointed out the lack of math and reading skills of our graduates. CTE graduates must learn how to learn to keep pace with future change. Embedded credit is tied to employability skills. All Aspects of the Industry. CTE students see the connection between academic skills and their career field.

 HSTW: There are several areas of the HSTW reform model that the granting of “embedded” credit will allow the district to meet. Academic and vocational integration is critical for both the high school and the vocational school. The extra work to earn the “embedded” credit will add rigor to our vocational programs and there will be homework for most of the vocational students.

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics states, “All students should study mathematics in each of the four years they are enrolled in high school.” “Because student’s interests and aspirations may change during and after high school, their mathematics education should guarantee access to a broad spectrum of career and educational options. They should experience the interplay of algebra, geometry, statistics, probability, and discrete mathematics.”

Students who can earn additional credits can stay in the CTE programs Students who can earn additional credits can attend CTE classes and still graduate Our enrollment has already reached capacity

Higher graduation requirements for core areas Highs That Work requirements NCLB and ALL students achieving Perkins accountability All CTE programs are currently articulated with two community colleges for 18 to 36 college credits

68% of AVCTC graduates who attend post-secondary school have to take remedial math, reading and/or writing classes Embedded credit will lead to better preparation to the Compas Test The number of graduates who need remedial classes is declining at AVCTC

 President Bush has called for raising graduation requirements  Missouri has raised graduation requirements  HSTW recommends raising graduation requirements  4 language arts  3 math  3 science  3 social studies

The Process At Arcadia Valley CTC Began in  Integration by CTE class and local math teachers  Developed integrated lesson plans Summer of 2003  Attended HSTW Summer Conference in Nashville  Developed idea and began research  Collaborated with sending schools  Wrote first draft of the manual January 2004  Field tested math tests August 2004  Full implementation of math  Field testing of language arts

Keys to the Process: Collaboration Developed by-in by CTE staff Invited area math and language arts teachers to the AVCTC to see what we did and look at curriculum Meetings to discuss curriculums Principals and counselors support School Board(s) support Outside agencies:  DESE: credit, funding  Mineral Area College  RTEC  Mineral Area Tech Prep

Visited CTE programs: looked at how their subject was related Developed list of math topics for credit & handouts to define topics Assisted with cross-reference of topics to Show-Me Standards, MO Grade-Level Expectations, & NCTM Standards Wrote test questions (16 questions for each sub-section) Talked with CTE to find common ground (this was a key) Provided in-service on math topics Mathematics Teachers

Visited CTE programs Developed list of topics for student portfolios Created scoring rubrics Conducting in-services for CTE staff on reading & writing in the classroom Language Arts Teachers

Senior Project

Attended in-services on math, lreading and writing in the classroom and curriculum development Cross-referenced vocational competencies with math topics Incorporated math and language arts in their classes Developed vocabulary lists CTE Instructors

Aligned CTE Competencies & Math Topics

Vocabulary Lists

Vocabulary

In-services and Lessons

Weekly lessons for teachers and then students Complete tests and begin testing Purchased supplemental math & technical writing textbooks Started development of math lesson plans and videos (CD-ROM) for each math topic CTE staff determine formulas they use and develop study guides

Testing of students Student feedback Math instruction Career activities Writing assignments Project management

Topics chosen by sending school math teachers based on observation and CTE written curriculums Written Test with questions developed by the sending school math teachers 29 topics chosen for testing Students had to pass 25 of the 29 topics to earn credit Each topic had three question on the test: students had to answer two of the three question correctly to pass the topic Students could retest as often as they had time: only the sections they failed

Additional help Textbooks were purchased and aligned to the various topics; students could check them out Study guides were developed for each topic Test help sessions were provided Classroom instruction provided on weekly topics CTE instructors “emphasized” the embedded topics as they appeared in their curriculums

 We conducted a web-based survey in late January and the response was over whelming Seniors Juniors Number Want math % 81.5% 92.6% Want LA NA 71 % NA 87.7%

 100 students took the math test at least once  41 passed the test  45 Students took the test more than once  49 of the students taking the test were juniors (27 passed)  One student passed who need the credit for graduation (elective credit) Year One Results

State model being shared with other CTEs and comprehensive high schools Presented to: MOACTE/NASSP meeting Regional Tech Prep meetings Vocational Director’s Leadership Meeting Posted Embedded Credit curriculum on district webpage Shared with various districts through visits and Year One Results

Year Two Results ClassStud. Taking Test Students Passing Test Non- Passers of Test 1 st Time Passers 1 st Time Passers Sections 1 st Time Passers Grades Students Taking Test Once and Not Passing Avg. Increase in % of Sections Passed Students Making Improvemen t in % of Sections Passed Total14685/58.2%61/41.8% %4527%70 First-Time Takers Who Passed Test: 21.2%

State model being shared with other CTEs and comprehensive high schools Presented to: MOACTE/NASSP meeting Regional Tech Prep meetings Vocational Director’s Leadership Meeting SREB’s HSTW Summer Conference Various CTEs and local school districts Shared with various districts through visits and Year Two Results

Lots of work Need buy-in by everyone: School board(s) Administration Sending school teachers CTE instructors Students

Basic skills instructor or someone responsible to manage the project Awarding credit through a certified math & language arts teacher Determine how credit will be awarded Require ALL students to test and work toward mastery

Summer Internship for academic teachers 27 Academic teachers – four CTE Programs for a week Teachers spent two days in two different CTE programs and wrote three integrated lessons based on their curriculum

What’s New For On-line testing and record keeping All students tested during the first two weeks to determine base-line Working with Mineral Area College to articulate for college credit Updating the language arts curriculum Math lesson have been re-written Videos for math lessons are in production

OIS Pricing

Online Instructor Suite

Embedded Math

Tests

Grade Book